


Unfairness of Love [Hiatus]

by angstphd



Category: K-pop, Mamamoo
Genre: Angst, F/F, Illness, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-04 08:06:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16343018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angstphd/pseuds/angstphd
Summary: Love is beautiful.Love is unfair.Love heals.Love hurts.AU. Kim Yongsun is a nurse at one of the numerous hospitals in Seoul. Moon Byulyi has been in and out of hospitals for years. Byulyi ends up transferring to the hospital that Yongsun works at. A beautiful friendship blooms after a fated encounter, though it isn't always all flowers and rainbows.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! I just want to give you the heads up that I am planning on rewriting this story as I am very unhappy with it at the moment. Of course feel free to read what I have now, but just know I am wanting to revise it under a new story (so this story will remain up).

In a small apartment tucked away in Gangseo-gu, a young woman hummed a cheery tune as she prepared for the long day ahead of her. She had finished applying a layer of red lipstick when she glanced down at the watch on her wrist, realizing that she was running behind schedule. The woman muttered a curse as she pursed her lips together. Quickly, she replaced the cap on the lipstick tube, placing it among the clutter that took over the counter. She sighed at leaving the surface a mess.

To make up for as much lost time as possible, she legged it down the hall to the entrance of the house. She managed to wrap her long, black coat around herself when she heard a whimper behind her. Smiling, she turned around.

"Bye Jjing-Jjing," she bid, bending down to place a kiss on her tiny dog's head. Spinning back around, she slipped her white clogs on before rushing out the doorway.

She made her way down a few flights of stairs that intimately lead to the underground parking garage. Another glance at her watch caused her to grimace. As she was hastily grabbing her keys out of her purse, she heard an upbeat voice call out from behind: "Hey, Yongsun!"

A sincere smile slipped across her face when her eyes met the owner of the voice.

"Hey, Heeyeon. How are you?" Yongsun inquired. She had feared that she may come off as rude, but she also was afraid to be late to her shift.

"I'm good actually — I wanted to know if you were free tonight. Me and Sunyoung were thinking of getting together." Heeyeon stated.

When she noticed that Yongsun was dressed in her scrubs, she figured the answer would be no. Her heart sank in disappointment, but she quickly assured herself that there would yet be another opportunity in the future.

"I'm sorry," Yongsun apologized, putting her hands together with an apologetic bow of her head. "I have another twelve-hour shift tonight."

“Alright, I'll count this as a rain check then," Heeyeon winked, heading towards the stairwell. She stopped and turned around to point authoritatively. A grin plastered on her face assured the older girl it was light-hearted. "Just message me when you have some free time. We haven't been together in forever."

"I will," Yongsun laughed.

  
***

"Thank you Seulgi," Byulyi thanked, shallowly bowing her head. She accepted the small bowl of kimchi that the younger girl had just collected from the kitchen staff.

"No problem," Seulgi replied with a wave of her hand as she sat down across from the blonde. Byulyi rested her chin on her palm once more, absentmindedly staring out one of the overly large windows of the hospital's cafeteria. Her desire to go outside reigned over her thoughts — she sighed at the understanding that she was forbidden to do so for the time being.

With her free hand, she picked up her chopsticks. Byulyi ate a large chunk of rice followed by the kimchi that she craved. A smile replaced the blank expression that previously concealed her face when she finally tasted it.

"Mm—" Byulyi hummed in utter joy, covering her grinning lips with her hand. A youthful sparkle returned to her eyes and her nose wrinkled up in delight. "It's so good!"

Her dark-haired friend laughed. Seulgi felt a wave of relief at seeing Byulyi finally express some happiness. The elder hadn't shown a sincere smile since she had to return to the hospital a few days prior.

Byulyi proceeded to wolf down the remaining rice and kimchi, almost forgetting to savor the flavor. When Seulgi saw that she had finished eating, she told her that it was about time for her to go back to work.

"Why don't you walk me out?" Seulgi asked, more of a firm request than a suggestion. Byulyi nodded, wiping her mouth with a flimsy napkin. They put away their dishes and thanked the cafeteria staff on their way out.

The walk to the front of the hospital was in silence. The both of them frowned as the hospital's unique smells and sounds had wafted by them. Seulgi looked up at Byulyi to find that she replaced the emotionless mask that had been cloaking her face far too much these days. Her face fell downcast, looking ahead once again.

Once they reached the empty lobby of the hospital, Seulgi pulled out her phone to check the time she was making, before quickly placing it back in her coat pocket. She looked up at the blonde, who promptly smiled half-heartedly at the eye contact. Seulgi mirrored her expression, pulling her into a hug. It took Byulyi a moment to reciprocate it since it caught her off guard. Her arms tightened around Byulyi’s neck, pulling her closer when she did.

"Hey, we will figure this out," Seulgi whispered into her ear. Both women felt the prick tears and tightness in their throats but composed themselves for the sake of each other. Byulyi rested her head into the crook of her neck, sliding her hands up the younger's back, holding her close.

Seulgi barely felt the way Byulyi’s nails and fingertips sorrowfully dug into her back. It was incredibly painful to know the anguish that her dear friend had to be experiencing and all that she had to have been bottling up inside.

Byulyi’s hands fell to her sides when she pulled away, yet Seulgi kept a hold on her shoulders. "Remember, if you need anything don't hesitate to call; I'll be by your side in a flash."

Seulgi smiled reassuringly. Byulyi’s lips again turned up insincerely. Despite her attempt to hide her pain, Seulgi could see it in her eyes; she felt it reflected in her heart.

Seulgi let her hands dropped to her sides, but not until after she gave a playful punch to Byulyi's shoulder. Byulyi squeaked unconsciously as her face upturned in surprise.

"Hey," she laughed, her eyes and nose wrinkling up like before, showing a sincere sense of happiness.

"I'll be busy the rest of the day with some meetings so I might not be able to answer your messages right away," the brunette stated as she fumbled around in her purse. "I'll be sure to answer them as soon as I can though."

Her fingers finally grazed the cold metal of her keys, pulling them out. It was noisy, but she brushed it off since the lobby was empty. The duo made eye contact once again.

"Thank you for letting me join you for lunch, albeit for a short while."

"No worries — thank you for keeping me company.”

"Anytime," Seulgi grinned as she took a few steps back. She waved, and Byulyi mirrored her. "See you later."

Seulgi turned on her heels towards the revolving door in the entrance. A nurse quickly passed through the push door adjacent to the revolving one as to get out of the brunette's way. They bowed to each other, the nurse wishing her a good day.

Byulyi's lips pursed as she watched her beloved friend leave. She didn't even notice that she had been tapping her foot anxiously as a sense of loneliness set in.


	2. Hello

A frustrated sigh burst through Yongsun's painted lips as she removed the ponytail from her hair. She lightly ruffled the pink locks that fell to her shoulders, attempting to hide the fact that it was just pulled up. Yongsun leaned forward, resting her elbows on the railing in front of her. Being on the second floor of the hospital, below her was a big, empty hallway that connected to the lobby. The walls of the lobby and hall rose two levels and were lined with windows, letting in a generous amount of sunlight. Yongsun thought the sunshine was rather revigorating, though she would have wished far more to be outside.

Yongsun finally had the opportunity to step out after the particularly hectic morning. She got called into work while she was getting breakfast because the Intensive Care Unit needed an extra set of hands. A couple got into a particularly nasty car accident early that morning. They needed to be rushed to the hospital via helicopter and required emergency surgery. The team that Yongsun was part of managed to save the both of them without too many complications, but the procedures took up the whole morning.

It was only lunchtime, yet to Yongsun it felt like it should be way past midnight. She thought that a good splash of water to her face would be refreshing, but she didn't dare ruin her makeup. Instead, she settled with finishing off the water bottle that she was holding. She downed the remaining water in a few big gulps before tossing the bottle into a recycling bin.

She watched the world just beyond the glass. Nothing was particularly interesting except for maybe a truck pulling around here and a car leaving the parking lot there. Yongsun entertained herself with the sights of the city until a chill ran down her spine and the little hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

Yongsun could have sworn she was being watched, that a pair of eyes were fixated on her. She didn't see them, but she could feel them digging deep into her skin. The nurse glanced over to see that her intuition was correct. A pair of dark brown eyes were staring right at her, albeit without realization. Returning the woman's gaze, she allowed herself a quick look up and down the onlooker.

' _A patient, huh?'_ Yongsun thought, taking note of their white scrubs with tiny floral patterns.

Glancing back up at the woman's face, she tried to see if she recognized her. It was to no avail. With the situation growing more and more uneasy, she decided to finally speak up.

"Can I help you, ma'am?"

The patient's eyes widened suddenly, and her lips parted slightly. Yongsun noticed her face quickly reddened — the darkest shade of red she had ever seen someone’s face turn. A strangled noise left her throat just before she shook her head as if to bring her mind back down to earth.

"No, no!" She quickly spat out. Her voice quivered. "I'm sorry. I was lost in thought."

Indeed she was lost in thought, though it wasn't exactly as she tried to play it off as. She couldn't help but note the nurse's appearance. When she saw Yongsun’s face as she walked over, all she could think was, 'wow.' She couldn't help but think of just how pretty the woman was. The patient wanted to quickly get a good look at the woman - to remember her face - though it turned out to be far too long.

Yongsun opened her mouth to respond, but the sight and sounds of several people approaching stalled her. Looking at all the equipment that they lugged around, she suspected that they were the camera crew that was shooting around for the past few days.

The hospital wanted to have new promotional material, so they hired a design team and some photographers. The big "catch" to this round of promotional pictures was everything on the fly and candid. They wanted to convey a natural and caring atmosphere. All the staff was aware and prepared to be subjects in photos if the crew called on them - though that wasn't the case with all the current patients.

The woman followed Yongsun's gaze to the crew. She was surprised to see them and was puzzled as to why they were strutting around with a bunch of studio equipment. She didn't think much of it, however - at least until they approached her and Yongsun.

A particularly tall man dressed in a tacky jean jacket and a black ball cap came up to her, asking, "are you under her care?"

The patient glanced behind herself at Yongsun, who the man was referring to. She turned back to the man with a finger pointed at the nurse. "That woman? No."

Yongsun was taken aback. She couldn't believe the nerve the patient had with the way she pointed at her and referred to her as 'that woman.' They didn't know each other, but Yongsun thought she could have shown a little respect.

"It'll do either way." The man gestured for the two to get close.

The patient, who still wasn't entirely sure as to what was happening, felt a shock run through her system. Before she knew it, there was a pair of hands on her shoulders. She didn't need to look back to see that it was Yongsun. As if the simple touch wasn't enough of a surprise, her mind went into overdrive when she felt the nurse flatly press her body on her back.

In such a situation, she thought her mind would go blank - unable to process any information, though it was quite the opposite. Her perception of time slowed from the adrenaline rushing through her veins.

The warmth of Yongsun’s skin seeped into her back. It was almost painful how warm she was growing between the heat the encounter caused her and the pink haired woman's body heat. A vague aroma of sweet flowers wafted to her nose. Subconsciously, she wondered what type of flowers she was smelling.

 _'What's wrong with this woman? We just met,'_ the patient wondered. Too lost in her own thoughts, she didn't notice a lightbox being set up in front of them until it turned on.

Snapping back to reality, so noticed that the man was pointing his camera at them. Instinctively she brightly smiled as he quickly took a series of pictures, the shutter audibly closing at a rapid pace.

Yongsun slid her hands onto the patient’s arms, pulling her into a hug. After a few more shots were taken, she moved to her side, taking her hand in the both of her own.

The photographer quickly scrolled through the pictures he took, sticking up a thumb to signal they were done with them. Yongsun finally let go of the woman.

As the camera crew picked up their things to look for more subjects around the hospital, Yongsun and the patient noticed that a woman watched the whole ordeal. She was leaning against a support pillar with her arms crossed, contrasting the toothless grin she wore.

With the crew walking away, the woman pushed herself off the post to saunter towards the nurse and patient. A hand ran through her chopped brown hair, the other resting in a pocket of the lab coat that she wore. The coat placed over the blue scrubs quickly indicated her status as a doctor. Her smile left her face, being replaced by a much more serious expression.

"Doctor Jung," Yongsun spoke with a respectful nod. The doctor shot her a quick grin in response before replacing the serious expression.

"Byulyi—" Wheein asserted. She stopped in front of Byulyi, looking up into her eyes to show the importance of what she was going to scold her over. The height difference came off a bit comedic to Yongsun as Byulyi towered over the doctor.

 _'So her name is Byulyi then...'_ Yongsun noted silently. She watched Byulyi grin nervously at the doctor. She wasn't in the mood to be scolded by Wheein for the nth time.

"I know, I know, Wheein," Byulyi uttered, understanding her wrong. Wheein couldn't hold back a frustrated grin, shaking her head.

"I don't tell you this as a doctor — I tell you because I care about you," she said earnestly, poking Byulyi in the chest. The blonde wanted to reply with her reasoning but decided against it. Instead, she nodded.

After a second of silence, Wheein and Yongsun's phones simultaneously buzzed. They both looked to them. The atmosphere quickly turned upside-down as they felt a sense of haste. Wheein and Yongsun locked eyes momentarily, the former nodding at the other. The pink haired nurse turned around to run down the hallway, just out of sight.

"We just got a call from the ICU," Wheein cleared up to Byulyi. She followed Yongsun but stopped momentarily to face the older woman.

"Get back to your room, or I swear I will get _her_ on your ass," Wheein called out, continuing down the hallway.

Byulyi didn't bother to move for a few moments, huffing in frustration. She just watched as Wheein disappeared around the corner. She sighed, turning around to head to the elevator.


	3. Love and Hate

Rounding the corner of the hallway, Wheein’s ears picked up on a silvery singing voice echoing down the unusually quiet hall. Typically, there are overlapping voices of staff and visitors alike among the backdrop of medical machines and the shuffling of equipment, but no voices nor shuffling could be heard.

The brunette glanced up at a few nurses that gathered together a few doors down from where the singing came from. They giggled and mumbled among themselves with adoring smiles plastered on their faces. Wheein couldn’t help but grin and shake her head at their behavior.

"I swear, this girl," Wheein chuckled to herself. Her voice was loud enough for the three nurses to hear but low enough for them to be unable to make out what was said.

They quickly glanced over at the doctor with guilty expressions. Wheein could tell just how nervous they became, assuming they were fearful of getting scolded for being away from their posts. With a wave of her hand, she dismissed their worries, indicating she had no such intention. Their eyes followed her all the way to the room they were eyeing. The nurses tried to not make it obvious, but the doctor was very well aware, nonetheless.

"Knock, knock!" Wheein singsonged, tapping on the metal door frame. The singing discontinued instantly.

Byulyi turned from her place on the windowsill to catch a grinning Wheein in the doorway of her hospital room. The doctor didn't wait for approval from the older to enter, letting the door close behind her to give them privacy from the eavesdroppers. She made her way to Byulyi to lean onto the frame of the window herself. "Are you still mad at me?"

Byulyi looked back out at the evening’s vibrant sunset. “Yes and no.”

“That’s not so reassuring,” Wheein laughed in an attempt to get the woman to open up. Much to her relief, Byulyi allowed herself to smile at the comment. She didn’t speak, however. Knowing that she was just in a mood, as she usually was when she was forced to stay at the godforsaken hospital, the doctor just let the whole ordeal drop. She knew there was no getting it out of her at the moment.

“You know you’ve got a fan club forming out there, Miss Ultimate Girl Crush?” Wheein teased, to which the response was nothing more than a halfhearted shake of Byulyi’s head. “There were a handful of nurses out there drooling over your singing.”

Byulyi remained quiet. Attempting one last jab, Wheein said, “You need to be careful; you might very well make one of the staff members fall in love with you.”

Silence.

Wheein called out Byulyi’s name to grab her attention. Once she had it, she offered the small bag of onion rings and a bottle of Coke that she was carrying.

"You know that stuff is bad for my health, doctor?" Byulyi teased, glancing from the snacks to Wheein with a cheesy grin.

"Says the woman that had kimchi for lunch, who is completely aware that she is banned from eating it." Wheein countered, mimicking the smirk and tone she was given. Byulyi's grin fell. She playfully wrinkled her nose up, sticking her tongue out as she snatched up the bag of onion rings.

"Hey, I'm Korean – Korean's can't live without their kimchi."

"God, you sound like one of my nurses," the brunette rolled her eyes. She put the bottle of Coke on the ledge in front of the other woman. "But that is indeed very true, so I will give that one to you."

Byulyi eagerly opened the small bag, tongue poking out from the corner of her lips in anticipation. Before she could even grab a piece, Wheein lunged in to grab one ring for herself, popping it into her mouth with a smirk. It frustrated Byulyi. She pouted at the younger woman but didn't find the energy to argue back.

"However, that doesn't mean you just ignore orders like that," Wheein finished, sitting on the edge of the windowsill, munching down on another snatched piece. She composed herself to show the seriousness of her words. "They are given for a good reason and your health in mind."

"I know, I know," Byulyi groaned back, popping a whole onion ring in her mouth with irritation. Another period of silence crashed over them.

"Where is your sister?" Wheein asked, opening the bottle of Coke to steal a sip.

"Seulgi has late classes now, so she won't be around for a while," Byulyi said, resting her temple against the cool glass. She looked out into the concrete jungle, focusing past the reflection of her and Wheein's faces. "I told Yesol to stay home this time around, so she hasn't visited."

The blonde fought back a yawn. "She is so busy with getting into her dream high school and hasn't been getting nearly enough sleep – She needs to stay home and focus on her studies."

Wheein felt the urge to tell her that that is what family is for, but at the same time, she couldn't blame her. She would have done the same if she were in her position.

Wheein didn’t bother mentioning her parents, knowing that Byulyi convinced them to not travel so far as the hospital was. Even so, they came by every few days to visit and give her whatever they thought she would need and could use.

"What about Kang Seulgi?"

"I'm not going to have her take care of me, she's not family," Byulyi laughed, attempting not to sound harsh and to and lighten the atmosphere. "Though she did stop by to have lunch with me, but she's busy with work, so she didn’t stay for long."

Wheein nodded.

Another pause.

"Do you know when you are going to be released?" Wheein asked, a bit quieter.

"Doctor Park hasn't mentioned it," Byulyi sighed. "Hopefully soon."

"I'll try asking him before I go home tonight but be sure to stop by my office before you leave," Wheein instructed. "I won't have you going AWOL on me again."

“Yes, ma’am Doctor Jung.” Byulyi saluted. Wheein rolled her eyes again and muttered an “oh my god.”

The two women watched the sun set on the horizon. They finished off the snack with light conversation. Once the sun disappeared and it’s dying colors were long gone, Wheein announced that she was going to head home for the night. She collected the trash and instructed Byulyi to try to get some sleep. Halfway across the room, Wheein spoke.

“Don’t let Doctor Park know I let you eat this.” She referenced to the trash she had in her hands. Byulyi had since moved to sit on the corner of her designated bed. “He will have my ass if he finds out.”

Byulyi nodded sincerely. She had no desire to be scolded by her doctor and much less Wheein get into such trouble for something so insignificant. The brunette had her hand on the knob of the door when Byulyi asked a question.

“How exactly did you know I had kimchi for lunch anyway?”

“Do you even have to ask?” Wheein smiled from ear to ear. “I told you I would get _her_ to watch over you.”

Byulyi nodded knowingly. “Hyejin.”

  
***

  
“The nerve of that girl,” Yongsun grumbled, throwing back another shot of soju.

“Don’t you think you are letting this get a little too much to you?”

“Honestly? Probably. But I was already having a rough day, and this- _this_ woman was just the cherry on top,” Yongsun grumbled. She propped up her head with a bent arm with a huff. “I just need to get it off my chest.”

Yongsun decided to go to Heeyeon’s apartment after work. The long day took its toll on her, and she was ready to unwind in any way that she could. That happened to be drinking, hoping it would calm her nerves and help her fall asleep. She didn’t have a shift the next day so it couldn’t have hurt.

The second the nurse’s shift ended, she called up Heeyeon asking if she could take her up on her offer after all. The younger woman readily accepted, despite the lateness of the hour. They called Sunyoung, asking to join, but she didn’t answer, presumably asleep already.

Yongsun pursed her lips, holding out her cup to her friend, signaling she wanted another shot. Heeyeon complied, despite thinking it was due time for Yongsun to quit for the evening. She was drunk already, or at least pretty tipsy. Heeyeon knew that Yongsun couldn’t handle any significant amount of liquor well in the first place, but the bright cherry-like redness of her face and the random inquiries of “is my face red” was testament enough.

“She seems like a whole lot of trouble — Doctor Jung came along and scolded her. I guess she snuck out of her room and was wandering the hospital.” She took what was her fourth shot of the night, not even cringing at the bitter taste anymore. “Doctor Jung called her ‘Byulyi’ or something.”

“Wait wait, you wouldn’t mean Moon Byulyi, would you?” Heeyeon asked enthusiastically. She leaned across the table as if it would make an answer come faster or in affirmation.

“I mean, I don’t know her family name, but…” Yongsun stalled. The alcohol was starting to take her tongue.

“What did this Byulyi look like?”

“Um, she was about my height. It’s hard to remember exactly, but I do know that her hair was dyed a pretty shade of blonde.”

“It has to be Moon Byulyi, no doubt!”

“How do you know her anyway?” Yongsun asked, only half meaning it. Her eyes began to droop, letting Heeyeon know that she was starting to lose her grasp on reality.

“She’s a close friend of mine,” Heeyeon smiled admirably. “It was when we were really young. Our parents ended up sending us to the same daycare, so we met there.”

The younger sat back with a nostalgic look. A laugh slightly took Yongsun out of her stupor.

“I was sitting on the big play mat, building a house with some of those big legos. Byulyi came up to me and asked if I wanted to play ‘Princess Mermaid Kitchen’ with her. I accepted her request right away.”

Yongsun simply nodded.

“After I said yes, she told me that I was her best friend forever. We have been close ever since, even when we spent our school years at different schools across Seoul.”

“What do you see in her? She just seems like nothing but trouble to me.” Heeyeon found herself to be a bit offended at the words, yet she brushed it off as the alcohol and stress talking.

“She can be a handful, but she has countless wonderful qualities and is the best friend anyone could ever wish for.”

They talked for another half an hour before Yongsun could barely stay awake, much less speak coherently. The conversation turned to the nurse stating that she was going to go home. Heeyeon told her that she could just crash at her place and that she wouldn’t in a million years let her walk back home drunk, even if it was only a few floors up.

“No no, I live like… not that far away,” Yongsun stuttered, gesturing vaguely upwards. Heeyeon shook her head at her, not even bothering to argue any longer. It wouldn’t be hard to get her to stay anyway since her legs couldn’t hold her weight for more than a few seconds.

“Ah, come on.” Heeyeon huffed. She managed to get a stumbling Yongsun onto her couch a few feet away. It didn’t take long for her to pass out, snoring from the drink.

 _‘Lightweight,’_ Heeyeon joked to herself, putting a spare blanket on the woman.

  
***

  
The weekend passed. Byulyi didn’t get permission to leave the hospital, as the doctor that was in charge of her care wanted to do a few more screenings and keep her under close observation. It particularly frustrated her, since it was one of the most extended hospital stays to date. Yongsun, on the other hand, relaxed on her weekend off. That was after her nasty hangover went away.

There were several occasions where the two women saw each other during the following week. They never spoke to each other and never acknowledged either’s presence. That didn’t stop them from observing the other, however.

Despite what Heeyeon told Yongsun, she concluded that she shouldn’t get close to Byulyi. She was a patient, so there was no point in pursuing a friendship. A few times Yongsun talked to Wheein about her, inquiring mostly about how they knew each other. Wheein spoke highly of her, but the Yongsun still thought she sounded like a lot of trouble. The instance of seeing Byulyi getting scolded by Hyejin about the same things Wheein had the week prior didn’t help either.

Byulyi, on the other hand, thought Yongsun seemed fascinating. Heeyeon brought up the whole situation at one point. She told her that she was a close friend and a bit about her. Heeyeon mentioned that Yongsun was the third member of the singing group she partook in. Byulyi knew that Heeyeon went out to sing at bars and clubs with a small group, but she never imagined that Yongsun of all people would be part of it. The more that Heeyeon explained, the more she became fascinated with her.

Wheein even brought Yongsun’s questioning up over dinner in the cafeteria one day. She explained a bit more about Yongsun to Byulyi, about how she was a hard worker, was fun, and was a really good person, but that she was a bit clumsy could be on the strange side at times. The youngest also mentioned that Yongsun didn’t like Byulyi because of how she had addressed her the day they met.

“You are younger than her, so she took offense,” Wheein explained. Byulyi decided that she was going to try to apologize for the misunderstanding in person. She never got the chance, however, as they didn’t run into each other again by the time Doctor Park discharged Byulyi from the hospital.

  
***

  
Byulyi walked alongside Wheein down the decorated hallway of the first floor, heading to the main desk for checkout.

“Hyejin wanted me to tell you that she is sorry that she isn’t here right now, especially after she said she would. I ran by her, and she is swamped with work. She doesn’t even have time to text,” Wheein stated matter-of-factly. “She wants to stop by sometime soon to make up for it.”

“I’ll be sure to message her.” Byulyi was a bit disappointed but understood. It’s not like she wouldn’t ever see her again after all.

In the corner of her eye, a splash of pink caught Byulyi’s attention. Looking over she saw Yongsun leaning against the wall, looking down at her phone. She felt relief.

“Miss Kim,” Byulyi called out, taking off from Wheein’s side. Yongsun looked up, surprised to see who was coming her way.

Yongsun was taken aback by the appearance of the younger. Byulyi was finally dressed in comfortable, casual clothing. She wore a pair of simple blue jeans with a plain white V-neck under an oversized black and white button-up. Her hair was pulled back as well, with a black ball cap adorning her head. It was simple and androgynous, yet oddly charming in Yongsun’s eyes.

What threw Yongsun off the most was that Byulyi had put on a light layer of makeup. Every time Yongsun saw Byulyi before, she was dressed in her scrubs and was bare-faced.

“Yes?” She questioned cautiously.

“I wanted to apologize for the other day.” Byulyi explained the misunderstanding, telling her that she thought she was younger than her and meant no disrespect. Yongsun accepted her apology, feeling an unbeknownst weight get off her chest.

"Why don't we start over?" Byulyi smiled, holding her hand out. Yongsun looked down at it, then back up to Byulyi’s honest grin. She nodded slightly, holding her own hand out. “I’m Moon Byulyi.”

“My name is Kim Yongsun.”

“I’d like to make up for the trouble, Miss Kim.”

Yongsun didn’t understand why she wanted to make up further, as the apology was sufficient enough for the small misunderstanding. She remained quiet, however, curious as to what Byulyi had to say.

"Would you like to go out for lunch Friday?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was doing some research on Korean healthcare/hospitals, and I read that patients families are their primary caretakes and that nurses and doctors don't do nearly as much as here in the US (and I assume many other western countries).
> 
> The part about Hani and Moonbyul's childhood was inspired by how two of my old friends from elementary and middle school met. The whole situation was the same as theirs except for going to different schools. They did go to different high schools, though. They are still best friends to this day.


	4. Friday Night

Yongsun wasn't exactly expecting to find herself having lunch is a small, family-run restaurant on her Friday night off with someone she barely knew. Much less someone she hadn’t befriended or was on a date with.

Yongsun agreed initially from of a sense of obligation. She kept telling herself otherwise since she didn't want to admit to having such negative feelings. The nurse tried to convince herself that it wouldn't hurt to take a break and get to know someone new. Heeyeon did speak very highly of her after all.

The only problem with the whole situation they currently were in was the uncomfortable aura that surrounded them. Yongsun found it challenging to break the ice with the shy woman sitting across from her. Whenever she did manage to start a conversation, it was short-lived leading to another wave of uncomfortable silence to wash over them.

It was the same for Byulyi. Whenever she would make a sudden comment with a nervous smile spread across her face, the conversation would die off quickly. The two of them could feel that the other was honestly trying to keep chat afloat and was trying to get to know the other, but their shy natures took over the situation.

During those spells, they would look out the window to watch the cars pass by on the busy street, watch customers, or look at their phones like there would all of a sudden be something exciting or important to look at.

Despite the restaurant being nearly empty, the service was rather slow. Yongsun and Byulyi planned to meet up once the lunch hour crowds had gone, but that also meant many people working at restaurants were on break or were cut for the day. Based on observation, they could tell that the manager had cut all the servers except for one. Unfortunately for him, many others shared the same idea as the two women.

Byulyi twisted her small cup of water around, tracing the rim and unconsciously wiping off the condensation that formed on the outside. It wasn’t particularly warm in the restaurant, but the sun shone brightly on that cloudless day through the window they sat next to.

Yongsun, on the other hand, was watching cars and pedestrians pass by, lost in her thoughts.

As Byulyi fidgeted, she worried if she was overdressed. She was wearing a white turtleneck with black jeans and a matching black blazer like jacket. She also wore a high-end looking pair of shoes. Yongsun was dressed more simply in black leggings and a deep purple sweater with pink sneakers.

“I’m so sorry for the wait,” Yongsun and Byulyi heard, breaking them out of their reveries. The waiter bowed politely with his notepad held up to his chest. “Are you ready to order?”

The two women looked at each other, nodding to tell the other that they were indeed ready then proceeded to tell the waiter the same. The friendly man gestured to Byulyi first, asking her to go ahead.

“I’ll have this,” Byulyi pointed to an item on the menu with a little picture of the dish next to it.

“I’ll actually have the same thing,” Yongsun said with a chuckle on her turn. The server bowed before turning on his heels to put the order in with the kitchen, collecting the menus as he went. The two women lowered their heads in response. The nurse looked back at Byulyi with an animated look of interest in her eyes, changing the atmosphere entirely. “So you like that, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s one of my favorites, and I hear they make it really well here,” Byulyi responded matter-of-factly.

“I don’t know a lot of people who like it, or even want to try it for that matter.” Yongsun laughed, showing Byulyi a real smile for the first time. It was a small one, but it was the first wholehearted one. She was referring to the smell of the food with the comment, as many people didn’t want to try it due to the strong aroma of the sauce. “I usually get teased for eating it.”

“Oh really?” Byulyi’s eyebrows raised enthusiastically. Smiling back in the same manner, Byulyi rested her chin on her upturned palm. “They don’t know what they are missing.”

“Indeed,” Yongsun giggled sweetly with a nod. The grin she showed was far bigger than the previous only a few seconds earlier. Byulyi noticed the little dimples that formed under her lips when she smiled so sincerely like that.

_Cute._ Byulyi’s heart skipped a beat.

They continued talking about food while they waited. They thought that it was kind of a strange topic to be opening up to, but then again, who doesn’t like food. It always seems to be a quick way into someone’s heart.

Despite the prior slowness, the food was made and delivered to them in a reasonable amount of time.

Yongsun dug right in. Byulyi, on the other hand, took up her phone and turned on the camera in one swift motion. She took a picture of the meal, licking her lips in anticipation. Curiously Yongsun watched her as she first took the test shot before playing around with the settings until she appeared satisfied.

After taking the winning picture, Byulyi noticed Yongsun’s gaze. The blonde’s face flushed as she locked her phone, placing it at her side on the table. She apologized through a nervous laugh.

“I have a bit of an obsession with photography,” Byulyi admitted.

Usually, she had her laptop and her DSLR slung over her shoulder, but she opted out that day for her meeting with Yongsun. She even bought an expensive phone that had a high-quality camera on it, so she could always take good photos when she wasn’t hauling her gear.

Yongsun shook her head. “Don’t be sorry. If that’s something you like, feel free to do it.”

Byulyi proceeded to eat a portion of her meal before she felt the itch to edit the photo. The blonde opened the picture in her editor and began to make adjustments: cropping it, adjusting the contrast and saturation, and even trying a few filters that she all quickly scrapped. She did all while eating her meal with her left hand.

Yongsun watched in amazement as Byulyi’s fingers moved deftly, making a picture that she thought looked perfectly fine in its raw form become truly jaw-dropping in a matter of minutes. Occasionally when the wrong setting would be picked, something didn’t respond as she wanted, or she would try something she ended up not liking, Byulyi would click her tongue and shake her head.

The look of concentration and the glint in Byulyi’s eyes entranced Yongsun. She could tell that it was something that she really loved with all her being. It was a beautiful look, the nurse thought.

“Wow,” Yongsun blurted. Byulyi glanced up at an astonished Yongsun, then back down at her phone. Her cheeks warmed up, embarrassment breaking her from her trance. She chuckled. “You’re so good!”

“Thank you.” Byulyi exported a copy of the image and posted another via her blog app. “I like sharing the things I get when I go out to eat on my blog.”

“Would it be okay to see it?”

Byulyi said something along the lines of ‘I don’t know,’ to which Yongsun asked less intensely a second time as to not pressure her new acquaintance. This time Byulyi hesitantly accepted.

She pulled up her blog and passed her phone over to Yongsun. Her eyes brightened up even more when she began to scroll down. With each passing image, she would mumble some sort of a reply, whether that be an approving grunt, an ‘oh wow,’ or even the occasional giggle as she read the comment Byulyi wrote with it.

Byulyi had a habit of writing comments in a cute and bubbly manner, usually with emojis. The blonde’s face grew red for the countless time when Yongsun giggled at them.

“I don’t know why I write such childish comments,” Byulyi tried to laugh off. “It’s not very professional.”

“I think it’s adorable,” Yongsun looked up, becoming a little flushed herself from making such a compliment. “Is there a particular reason you made this blog, or did you do it for fun?”

“Actually, I am a photographer, so I share my stuff on here.”

“Really? No wonder you are so good!”

“I’m not that good – I’m still learning a lot.”

“Hey, you are seriously talented. Own it.” Yongsun flashed Byulyi another warm smile, much like earlier in the meal. She uttered a quiet “thank you.”

Yongsun pulled out her own phone, holding it so Byulyi wouldn’t be able to see what she was up to. She navigated to the app to follow her blog.

“How many followers do you have?” Yongsun asked, not looking up from her phone. Byulyi’s buzzed only a few moments later.

“About seven thousand the last time I checked.”

“Well, make that seven thousand and one – or whatever it is exactly.” The nurse handed Byulyi’s phone back to her. She continued from where she left off scrolling on her own device.

Yongsun laughed for a moment, peaking the photographer’s interest. “My boyfriend likes photography, but you are so much better than he is.”

Byulyi felt a sharp pang in her chest and a sudden wave of cold run down her spine at the comment. It took her off guard.

_Why did that hurt so bad?_ She barely knew her, yet she felt so affected by her.

“Don’t tell him that though.” Yongsun laughed, finally putting down her phone to finish off her food before it got cold. She noticed a change in Byulyi’s eyes and how she slowed down eating ever so slightly. The photographer tried her best to hide it. She did well enough to where most other people wouldn’t have noticed, but the nurse seemed to have been tuned into Byulyi a bit more than others.

“I know you are a nurse and Heeyeon told me that you sing sometimes.” Byulyi smiled, evading Yongsun’s soft gaze.

“Yeah,” Yongsun confirmed, her voice became more tender as well. She grew cautious of the words she chose. “Do you know Park Sunyoung?”

“I’ve met her a few times, but I don’t really know her.”

“I sing with her as well – but I’m sure you already knew that.”

A faint smile slipped onto Byulyi’s lips. Yongsun took that as a good indication.

Yongsun hated the sudden change in the atmosphere after they worked up to speak more comfortably. The initial air of awkwardness from being acquaintances still hung heavy however, but there was an undeniable improvement from earlier.

“You should sing for me sometime,” Byulyi said. A split second later she grew the warmest she had been, a shock running up and down her spine.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck._

“Ah, I mean not for me specifically – Like I want to see you perform someday with Sunyoung and Heeyeon.” Byulyi rambled on nervously, waving her hands frantically. For a moment, Yongsun felt like she got caught up in some kind k-drama.

_‘God, why do I have a habit of putting my foot in my mouth?’_ Byulyi thought while she blathered. A moment later, she added, _‘especially when I talk to pretty girls?’_

Yongsun giggled, waving her hand assuredly. “I know what you mean.”

Byulyi stopped talking, deciding to fill her mouth with the final bites of her meal.

“We have a gig this Sunday and another on Thursday,” Yongsun began, swallowing the last bit of her food. “You should come to one.”

“Are you sure?” Byulyi asked, both nervous at the sudden offer and trying to avoid being a burden or an obligation.

“Please,” Yongsun asked, grinning once again. “I’m sure Heeyeon would want you to.”

Byulyi hesitantly agreed. Yongsun filled her in on the details, telling her that she could go to Heeyeon if she needed to know more.

They conversed more as the restaurant emptied out and the next shift of workers came in. Byulyi paid for both of their meals, the promised apology she proposed days earlier, but not without a bit of a fuss from Yongsun. She wanted to pay for her own meal, despite feeling open to the blonde paying for it days or even an hour and a half before.

They left the restaurant with a shout of thanks following them. The two walked down to a corner where a parking lot was.

“Did you drive here, or did you take public transit?” Yongsun asked, pulling her keys out of her purse.

“The subway,” came the muffled voice of Byulyi. Yongsun looked to see that she put on a white facemask.

“If you are that cold I can take you home,” Yongsun offered, gesturing towards her parked car across the lot. The nurse found it a bit bizarre, as it wasn’t all that cold outside.

“Ah no, I’m not cold. I can’t breathe in a whole lot of cold air — doctor’s orders” Byulyi grimaced after she said that, knowing she only set the situation to go in one direction. She was honest, but why she tried to use that as an excuse for her to go home alone was far beyond herself.

“If you can’t be in the cold please let me drive you home.”

Again, Byulyi hesitantly accepted.

She followed Yongsun to her car and got in. The photographer gave the older woman directions to her apartment. The ride was silent except for the back and forth over directions.

The nurse dropped her passenger off. She waved goodbye, watching as Byulyi went through the security gate.

Heading back towards her own place, Yongsun wondered if the reason she was so friendly and generous so quickly was because she wanted to prove something to herself or if she had already taken a liking to the artistic woman.


	5. Angel

“Seulgi—,” Byulyi groaned, followed by a metallic clamoring. The photographer was rummaging around in her closet, looking for an outfit to wear for the evening.  
   
It finally came around to Sunday, one of the days that Yongsun asked Byulyi to come to watch her vocal group perform. Byulyi decided against going on Thursday since that particular gig was at a famous club within the borough. A bar was more to her liking, which was were the Sunday performance was held.  
   
Byulyi had looked through every article of clothing at least three times by now, yet she couldn’t make her mind up. She convinced Seulgi to tag along to the bar with her and help her get ready for the night, hence why she was currently sitting on Byulyi’s bed.  
   
The older woman appeared out of the closet with a dramatic pout on her face, hands empty of anything except a black pair of jeans.  
   
“Will you let me help you now?” Seulgi asked, preparing to stand up.

Byulyi sighed and nodded in defeat. She requested Seulgi to help choose an outfit, but whenever the younger went to the closet to assist her, her suggestions were brushed off. It wasn’t necessarily rude, and Seulgi saw it as nothing of the sort. The blonde was just nervous and wanted everything to be right. It was only natural.  
   
“Here, let’s start with these.” Seulgi took the pants from Byulyi, placing them on the bed. From within the closet, she shuffled through various shirts that were hanging, calling out, “Do you still have that black jacket? The leather one?”  
   
“Yeah, it’s by the front door.”  
   
“Would you mind getting it real quick? I have an idea.” Byulyi did as requested, fetching the garment while Seulgi gathered an armful of clothing. When she came back, she saw the brunette placing the pile on her bed. Taking the jacket from her, she commented, “You always look cute in this.”  
   
“Cute?” Byulyi responded, taking on a faux expression of offense. “You are the cute one, not me.”  
   
Seulgi couldn’t hold back a burst of laughter. “There’s the old Byulyi!” She passed the older woman her pair of dark jeans.  
   
Seulgi had been worrying about Byulyi ever since she was admitted to the hospital last. Usually, there was a small change in the way she behaved, but this time around it was rather drastic. It lasted much longer than usual after being discharged, causing her more distress. After her lunch with Yongsun, she brightened up some, but she was still far from her old self.  
   
Seulgi looked through various shirts that she had brought out, holding them up against the older, trying to decide which would look the best. After a few minutes, she dressed her up in a dark t-shirt and a white long-sleeved button up to go overtop.  
   
“God, what’s gotten into me?” Byulyi grumbled as Seulgi handed her the leather jacket.  
   
“You’re making a new friend, you just want to leave a good impression.” Seulgi motioned for Byulyi to tuck in the black shirt. She stepped back to take in her whole appearance before adjusting the white shirt and jacket a little. “It’s just like you did with me. There’s nothing wrong with that.”  
   
Byulyi silently nodded, letting the brunette futz around with her clothing. Seulgi walked the older over to the full-length mirror on the other side of the room for her to look at herself. She gave her a moment to take it in before asking what she thought. Byulyi indeed liked it, but she was unsure if that was the best thing to wear for the occasion.  
   
“It’s simple and cute, and it screams Byulyi.” Seulgi declared with a bright grin. “Now come on, let’s get going before the traffic gets too bad.”

  
   
***

  
   
Byulyi and Seulgi sat at a table near the center of the bar, waiting for the performance to begin. In the meantime, they watched as a light rock band played.

Byulyi had a half-empty beer in front of her. She was trying to take her time drinking it since she was limiting herself to just the one. The dietary restrictions set by Doctor Park covered even alcoholic beverages. She was allowed to drink anything as long as it wasn’t hard liquor and as long as she moderated herself greatly; “greatly” in this case meaning no more than one drink anyway.

Seulgi on the other hand just ate since she drove Byulyi home after the fact.  
   
After the band finished their last song for the night, they packed up all their gear and mingled around with many of the bar’s patrons. During the final applause, however, Byulyi was surprised by a sudden hug from behind. She quickly turned around, smiling brightly when she saw that it was Heeyeon.  
   
“I’m so glad that you are finally coming to watch us perform,” Heeyeon raved, resting her weight on the backrest of Byulyi’s chair. “And I’m really glad to see you as well, Seulgi!”  
   
“It’s been forever, hasn’t it,” Seulgi giggled. Heeyeon nodded, saying that it had been quite some time since they saw each other last. They weren’t the closest of friends, but they enjoyed each other’s company.  
   
“So, Byulyi,” Heeyeon said, turning back towards her. “Why did you decide to come all of a sudden?”  
   
“Well, now since I’m out of a job, I have a lot of free time,” she replied nonchalantly. “And how am I supposed to tell someone I barely know ‘no’?”  
   
“Fair point. I just wish you would have come out sooner. It’s sad not seeing your face in the crowd,” Heeyeon wholeheartedly said. She thought of Byulyi as one of her closest friends, so it hurt her deeply when she didn’t appear at their “larger” performances. She did understand that it wasn’t Byulyi’s fault, but it still dug deep.  
   
“I know… I’m sorry,” the photographer apologized. Byulyi really did feel sorry – not just sorry, she felt terrible for not being able to support her lifelong friend in what she loves doing. It just so happened that the odds were rarely in her favor.

Heeyeon spotted Yongsun at the entrance looking around for her partners. She waved her down and pointed towards where Sunyoung was on the other side of the building.  
   
“I’m going to help Sunyoung and Yongsun set up,” Heeyeon told Byulyi. With a gesture towards Yongsun, she stated: “You should get her number – this back and forth is exhausting.”

The singer took off in the other direction, looking back at Yongsun as she went. Rushing over Yongsun caught up with Heeyeon, entirely bypassing Byulyi. The photographer hardly realized the disappointment she felt when she hadn’t been noticed.  
   
After the three disappeared to finish preparing, Byulyi and Seulgi went back to chatting.

The bar grew louder with anticipation as the trio set up. One of the staff members, presumably a manager, was trying to hype the crowd up while another person stood by the entrance, trying to get people off the street and fill up the joint under the premise of “a vocal performance of a lifetime.”  
   
In what seemed like forever yet never, the three gathered together with mics in hand, trying to get the show on the road.

“Hello, we are Honey.” The three announced simultaneously. Sunyoung gave a quick introduction, thanking the crowd for coming out and the use of the facility for their gig. It was short and to the point, since they wanted to waste no time getting to the first number.

When the first track started, Sunyoung instantly sang out the opening lines. Only then did the actual sound begin to play, where the three of them harmonized. They all went through the motions, singing their respective portions and providing backup vocals to the instrumental version of the song.

Heeyeon and Sunyoung were outstanding, but something about Yongsun’s voice stood out as special to Byulyi. It was full of soul and energy.

Yongsun had a passion for singing, and it was as clear as day when she sang with such fervor. Watching her spill her soul and entire being into the notes she belted out hit Byulyi right in her heart.  
   
The nurse’s voice transformed even the overwhelming stench of distilled spirits and hard liquor into something sweet and alluring.  
   
_She was amazing…_

_Breathtaking…_

“An angel.”

Seulgi saw how fixated Byulyi was on the woman – on how all her senses were focused on the outstanding performance she gave. A knowing smirk slipped onto her lips.  
   
The rest of the show went on without a hitch. The group sang a couple more songs together mixed in with a solo song from the each of them.

As they gave their final bows, there was a standing ovation and calls for an encore. The thought that it was more akin to a concert hall than a bar crossed Byulyi’s mind, eliciting a chuckle from herself.  
   
Leaning towards Byulyi and raising her voice over the applause, Seulgi grinned, “That Yongsun girl is really something amazing – I can see why you were all nervous for tonight.”  
   
After a pregnant pause, Byulyi shook her head, asking Seulgi to repeat what she said, claiming she didn’t hear her. Judging by how her face grew painfully red and how her voice faltered, she knew she heard her perfectly fine the first time.

“Nevermind.”  
   
The enthusiastic atmosphere remained strong when the three headed down to meet Byulyi and Seulgi at their table.  
   
Byulyi amicably greeted Sunyoung and welcomed Heeyeon back, but when she greeted Yongsun, there was a thick air of awkwardness. It was uncomfortable because they were still essentially acquaintances, yet at the same time, there was a strange sense of comfort mixed in.  
   
Byulyi was nervous, but so was Yongsun. As the time for the performance came around, anxiety took over. Yongsun began questioning if she made a mistake to invite Byulyi. She was indeed very forward with the proposal, considering that she hardly knew the woman. Such an offer was something she would put out to someone she had met several times or to a romantic interest after a few, but certainly not with someone she only met up with one time.  
   
Byulyi felt a similar sense of anxiety, wondering if she pressured Yongsun into the offer or if she felt an obligation to invite her. She contemplated not showing up from some fake sickness, but she eventually mustered up the courage to attend – after a little backing up from Seulgi.  
   
“You guys did an amazing job!” Byulyi mused. The words were directed at all three of the women, but her shy glance and smile up at Yongsun said something a little extra.  
   
“Hani, can I have a moment with you?” Seulgi stood up, motioning Heeyeon to follow her.

In the low-lit hallway to the restrooms, Seulgi said, “I’m worried about Byulyi - she has been down more than usual. She’s trying to hide it from me and won’t let on. What do you think is happening?”  
   
“I’m a psychologist, not a psychic,” Heeyeon laughed.  
   
“I know I know, I’m just–”  
   
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to come off like that,” Heeyeon stated, waving her hand apologetically. “It’s just that I’m worried too. She’s only been out for a week and a half, though, so we should give it a little more time before we jump to conclusions.”  
   
“You’re right. We’re still trying to figure everything out. I guess it could just be she is exhausted from having to go in constantly,” Seulgi noted.  
   
“I think that’s very likely. Besides, she’s somewhere new – her life has changed a lot, and I think she could just be having difficulties with the changes.”  
   
The two glanced down the hallway in search of the woman they spoke of. Thankfully, they could tell she was smiling brightly as she talked with Yongsun at her side.  
   
“Yongsun seems to be a sobering change for her. Let’s hope she is just what Byulyi needs to be happy and herself again,” Heeyeon added.  
   
“Byulyi seems to see something special in Yongsun. When you guys were performing, she had hearts beating in her eyes, but I don’t think she realizes it herself quite yet.” Seulgi stated. After a pause, she said, “there’s undeniable chemistry between the two.”  
   
“They barely know each other, but I do see the sparks flying.”  
   
“I think they would be good for each other.”  
   
“I think so too, but we’ll see how it works out – Yongsun is still very much in the closet.” The psychologist said, looking back towards the two women they spoke of.  
   
On the opposite end of the bar, Yongsun bid the photographer farewell with a smile. Byulyi felt something in her chest – a something she felt several times since she met the nurse. It was a fleeting warmth that proved filling, yet painful in the same instant. It was joyous, yet lonely.  
_  
No, no, no. It can’t be already… can it?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't think of a name for their group so I just called it Honey
> 
> Byulyi's outfit: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/5f/d0/95/5fd09518306b689388fbe2ee4f6b131c.jpg


	6. From Winter to Spring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so apparently this site doesn't like emojis, so I had to redact them from the text conversation -- they still appear on the version uploaded to AFF

Sitting cross-legged on her bed, Byulyi looked at her phone laying in front of her. She had been staring at it for a good minute before the screen went dark, reflecting her face back at her.

She sighed, resting her elbow on her knee and her face into her hand. Byulyi was lost in her thoughts. She looked at the city out past the sheer white curtains that hung on the window parallel to her bed. Just outside, there was a small park packed with trees waking up for the first time in several months, sprouting out tiny stems and buds that would soon bloom once the weather grew warm enough. Beyond them, Byulyi saw the gold bathed city in the throes of preparing for the night. And beyond that, she could make out the vague form of the Han river just a few miles away.

It was quiet – too quiet for Byulyi. She was bored out of her mind, which gave room for her anxiety to get the best of her.

Byulyi picked her phone up, looking at the reflection staring back at her for a moment. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her nerves before she hit the power button. KakaoTalk was open. Her eyes were met with the list of all the chats she was a part of.

What she was stressing over was the fourth chat down. The conversation was with Yongsun, identified by the “Kim Yongsun” title and her profile pic to the left of herself with Jjing Jjing. Below her screen name was the last text she received from her, and as it happened, it was also the first.

With a shaky finger, she opened up the chat.

 

**|| Hey!! This is Yongsun  
**

 

A few days ago Byulyi attended the performance of Yongsun's vocal group at the bar. Per Heeyeon's insistence, Byulyi asked Yongsun for her number and Kakao. The nurse was more than happy to share them with her, despite how shy she was feeling in the heat of the moment. Yongsun felt comfortable enough with her to share such information and believed she wouldn’t cause her any issues from the reputation her friends gave of her.

In a small burst of courage, Byulyi willed herself to strike up a conversation.

 

**Hey! ||**

**How are you? ||**

 

_“So, I know Heeyeon’s stage name is just her nickname and Sunyoung here is Luna—” Byulyi started asking Yongsun. The nurse had taken the vacant chair next to Byulyi where Heeyeon had been sitting, trying to break out of her shell to speak with this woman who interested her so. “What’s your stage name?”_

_“It’s Solar,” Yongsun responded with a bright smile on her face, revealing the dimples that Byulyi found adorable._

_“Solar, huh?” The blonde hummed acknowledging._

_“I had a few other names in mind, but I eventually stuck with Solar.” She giggled. “So you know Solfège? Do Re Mi Fa –” She kept taping her finger upwards on an invisible musical scale. To emphasize where the name came from, she paused and stressed, “—_ _So La_ _.”_

_Byulyi nodded understandingly. “And you also have ‘sun’ in your name,” the younger added._

_“That’s the other reason,” the nurse confirmed, chucking._

_“That’s pretty clever,” Byulyi mused, clasping her hands together without much thought. Yongsun smiled in response, her cheeks becoming a dusted pink. She hoped that Byulyi wouldn’t notice in the low-lit room. “Why did you guys decide to use stage names anyway? Isn’t that more of an idol type of thing to do?”_

_Yongsun took a moment to think._

_“I mean I guess so –" Sunyoung interjected on Yongsun and her own behalf._

_“It’s fun, and I think it’s part of the charm” Yongsun added, looking at Sunyoung who nodded in response._

 

Byulyi’s phone buzzed, bringing her back to the present. Her heart raced.

 

 **|| I'm doing good** **wby?**

 

She took a moment to think over her response.

 

**I'm doing good too  just a little bit bored ||**

**I was just wanting to thank you for inviting me to your show again, I really enjoyed it ||**

 

***

 

Yongsun was currently clocking out of work for the evening. Much to her relief, she was able to leave early from her shift. She had been working long consecutive days, and it was really starting to drain her of all her energy. All she wanted to do was go home, get something comforting to eat, and cuddle up with Jjing Jjing on the couch to watch some old film reruns.

 

**|| Thank you for coming! I'm really glad that you enjoyed it, please come to one of our performances again in the future!**

**|| Hani was really happy too, she hasn't stopped talking about it  
**

 

She would have found the sudden message a bit strange if she hadn't insisted on Byulyi messaging her at some point.

 

_“Here – this is my Kakao.” Yongsun offered Byulyi her phone, so she could get her username and befriend her. When the friend request came in, she smiled and swiftly accepted. Without a word, she sent a message stating that it was her._

_“If you ever want to do something or just talk, don’t hesitate to send a message,” Yongsun announced with a blush forming on her cheeks. She thought that it probably sounded a bit weird to Byulyi, but she meant it nonetheless. Yongsun was interested in getting to know her, as Byulyi was with her._

 

Yongsun started her car and was about to leave when she received an answer.

 

**Oh really? ||**

**And I will, thank you! ||**

 

_“You know, Byulyi is quite the singer herself,” Sunyoung declared matter-of-factly after Byulyi made a comment about how she adored their singing and performance. She grinned at Byulyi who quickly became a blushing mess. Before she could open her mouth to argue, Sunyoung added, “and dancer – that’s part of her charm.”_

_Sunyoung shot the photographer a mischievous smirk._

_“Oh really?” The nurse’s expression changed to that of great interest. Byulyi grew painfully shy, trying to avoid any eye contact. She knew if she tried to deny either complement, Sunyoung would be on her, so she decided to let it pass over completely. She knew it was a battle she wouldn’t win._

_“Up until recently I was a dance instructor,” the photographer clarified. “I do photography on the side, but I’m primarily a dance instructor and choreographer.”_

_Byulyi explained to Yongsun that the company she worked for “sent her home for recovery,” but it was just their way of firing her without actually “firing” her. She missed too many days because of hospital visits and was instructed to stay home far too often for the company to think of her as anything more than a liability._

_'She really is chock full of interesting facts, isn't she," Yongsun thought._

 

Yongsun had been planning on going straight home, but her strangely avid fascination with Byulyi got the best of her.

 

**|| I just got off work so I am on your side of town**

**|| If you are not doing anything, would you like to go out for some late night coffee?**

 

***

 

The weeks went by, and the two women quickly grew close, spending more and more time together.

As the days grew warmer and longer, their friendship grew close and meaningful.

Like how the Spring sun warmed the frostbitten ground and drove away the long, cold nights, Yongsun warmed Byulyi's soul and drove away the brokenness of her heart. To Byulyi, the days grew longer and more pleasant. For the first time in years, she couldn't wait for daybreak after endless nights and gear for what the day could possibly deliver her. She chased after the sun like her life depended on it – and maybe it did.

 

_Love heals._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit rushed and not all that interesting, but I wanted to fill in a little bit more of backstory and show that they were quickly becoming comfortable with each other and briefly touch on the importance of Yongsun to Byulyi. I don't know if is really the best call to skip over them becoming closer and closer as friends, but I thought it might be a good idea so it doesn't get redundent and drag on forever (and essentially be boring). I hope you don't mind the huge time skip at the end of this chapter and the next.
> 
> The story should pick up from this point on and get more into the core of the plot.


End file.
